Cha Cha

(Source: The Visayan Daily Star,12/8/06)

An omnibus resolution expressing the dismay of the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod over the "unusual and unholy haste" by which the House of Representatives is pushing the Cha-Cha train through a Constituent Assembly, was unanimously approved by the SP yesterday.

The resolution reiterates the previous resolution of the SP for the Constitutional Convention mode of amending or revising the Constitution.

It also urges Congress to respect the constitutionally and legally ordained schedule of the May 2007 elections and not undertake efforts to prevent or delay it.

The resolution further urges the representative of the Lone District of Bacolod City to take a stand in behalf of the people and his constituents.

It said the whole nation is witness to an incredible process in the lower house where efforts to amend the House Rules in order to convert Congress into a Constituent Assembly was made in order to revise the Constitution.

The resolution said Congress, which usually has difficulty obtaining a quorum especially in December, met from 4 p.m. Tuesday to 5 a.m. the next day in order to delete the second sentence of Sec. 105 of Rule 15 of its own House Rules that required the same process for passage of bills with both Houses of Congress voting separately in order to propose amendments or revisions to the Constitution.

It said the deletion of this rule does away with the old rules requiring committee or public hearings, etc., in order to pave way for an express, non-stop, direct fight type of converting Congress into a Constituent Assembly which would not admit or allow any type of delay.

It is very plain and obvious that the present effort to convert the present Congress into a Constituent Assembly is calculated to prevent the holding of the constitutionally and legally mandated local elections in May 2007, the resolution added.

The resolution said it is the sentiment of the SP that there is no pressing, life-or-death urgency to amending the Constitution now.

It said all attempts to amend the Constitution at this time should be shelved and the elections of May 2007 be allowed to proceed, after which, talks of charter change can be revived, if ever.